Jury breaks after 6-hour deliberation

May 20, 2003

Macon-- About 5:30 Tuesday afternoon, the judge sent the jury home. They'd been deliberating since 9:30 this morning, deciding whether Bill Scheer beat his elderly father to death with a golf club in 1990.

I spoke with the prosecutor and the defense. "After a week of testimony from a great many witnesses, so the jury has a great deal of evidence to consider, so I think they're taking their time. We feel confident that we've presented enough evidence for them to authorize a conviction. I know they've got a tough job ahead of them, so the wait doesn't bother me. I think they'll return a verdict of guilty," said District Attorney Ken Hodges.

"I'm always frightened when I'm waiting on a jury," said Pete Donaldson. "There's nothing you can do at this juncture, and you've done what ever you're going to do. Certainly when you look back there are things you could have done differently, but I'm frightened."

Bill Scheer is probably frightened as well. If he is found guilty, he will sentenced on the spot to life in prison, and taken into custody. The state is not encouraged or discouraged by the time the jury is out. The defense won't read anything into that time either.

Perhaps what can be taken from it is that the jury is taking their task very seriously.Jurors will resume deliberations Wednesday morning at 9:00.